willcox



(-No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. H. WILLGOX 8v J. E. A. GIBBS.

SEWING MACHINE.

No. 429,206. Patented June 3, 1890.

1n: "cams mavens co PuuTo-umm, wAsnmuYoN, n. c.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. H. WILLCOX & J. E. A, GIBBS.

SEWING MACHINE.

Patented June 3, 1890.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

O. H. WILLOOX 8; J. E. A. GIBBS.

SEWING MACHINE.

No. 429,206. atented June 3, 1890.

III,

i W 1% y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. W'ILLCOX, OF NEW? YORK, N. Y., AND JAMES E. A. GIBBS, OFRAPHINE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE IVILLCOX & GIBBS SEIVING MACHINECOMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,206, dated June 3,1890.

Application filed June 18, 1888- Serial No. 2'77,l53. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. WILL- COX, of New York city, in thecounty and State of New York, and JAMES E. A. GIBBS, of Raphine, in thecounty of Rockbridge and State of Virginia, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Rotary-Hook Lock- Stitch Sewing-Machines, whichimprovement is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to lock-stitch sewing- ,machines in which arotary hook carries the loop of the upper thread around the bobbin orshuttle containing the spool of the lower thread and a take-up draws upthis loop so as to tighten and complete the stitch before the next loopis taken by the rotary hook, and is more particularly an improvementupon or modification of the machines of this kind (see our patents, No.239,998, dated April 12, 1881, and No. 354,589, dated December 21, 1886)wherein the needle-bar and take-u p are operated from a main shaft inthe goose-neck or overhanging stationary arm, and the rotary hookmounted on a shaft below the workplate is driven at a higher speed thanthe main shaft through gearing at the standard of the goose-neck.

In sewing-machines it is of great importance, as we have pointed out inthe patents mentioned, to employ, so far as possible, uniform rotarymotion, and in order to give such a motion to the rotary hook, and atthe same time have it carry the loop of the upper thread over the bobbinof under thread in season for the take-up (with or without theassistance of any cooperating part) to draw in such loop before the nextloop is taken by the retary hook, the latter was given more than onerevolution to each reciprocation of the needlebar-namely, tworevolutions in the machine of our first patent mentioned above and threerevolutions in the second patent. This multiple revolution (as therevolution of the rctary hook more than once to each reciprocation ofthe needle-bar may in general be termed) is necessary because of thelarge proportion of its own revolution which must be occupied by therotary hook in carrying the loop of upper thread around the bobbin ofunder thread, a proportion which, it may be observed, is larger than isoccupied in shuttle-machines by the passage of a movable or flyingshuttle, whether reciprocatory or retary, through the loop of the upperthread. The necessity for a multiple revolution of the rotary hook isfurther occasioned by the size of the loop of upper thread which isrequired to go around the bobbin of under thread, since the larger theloop the longer should be the time allowed the take-up for drawing itup. The triple revolution of the second patent is more advantageous thanthe double revolution, as it gives a longer time for the operation ofthe take-up, so that it may finish its operation before the needle againenters the work. As described in our two patents, the main shaft in thegoose-neck is driven by a belt running on a pulley on said shaft, andthis multiple revolution of the rotary hook is derived therefrom throughtwo intermediate toothed gears or idlers of co mparatively-smalldiameter, which mesh with each other, and of which the upper one mesheswith a toothed gear on the main shaft and the lower one with a toothedpinion on the shaft of the rotary hook. The use of these twointermediate gears or idlers involves not only the friction and wear oftwo bearings and three points of meshing, but also increased frictionand wear, in consequence of the rapidity of the rotation of saidintermediate gears or idlers, due to their comparatively-small diameter.It also involves the awkward arrangement of having the main shaft rotatetoward the operator L'. 6., the top of the shaft moves in thatdirection) in case the rotary hook revolves in the opposite direction,as it preferably should, and as it does in the machine illustrated inthe aforesaid patents.

According to the present improvement a single intermediate toothed wheelor idler of comparatively-large size is employed to give the multiplerevolution to the rotary hook,

such wheel meshing with the gear on the main shaft, and also with thepinion on the shaft of the rotary hook. Its use diminishes the frictionand permits the main shaft to revolve in the same direction as the shaftof the rotary hook.

In the patented machines two of the four gears (namely, the upperintermediate and the pinion) are made with teeth of noise-deadeningmaterial, like leather, and the other two gears of metal. According tothe present improvement the single intermediate is provided with theteeth of leatheror noise-deadening material, and the pinion on the shaftfor the rotary hook, as well as the gear on the main shaft, is made withmetal teeth. Ky this means not only is the use of one leathertoothedgear avoided, but the gearing'is made stronger, because the teeth of theweaker material are used on the largest gear, and it is a general rulewith toothed gearing that on the largest gears the teeth havestraightest sides, and consequently the greatest crosssection at theirnarrowest parts. In the pinion, which is necessarily of quite smalldiameter, the sides of the teeth must be hollowed out very considerably,in order to accommodate the intermeshing teeth, and if made of metalthey are better able to stand the nec essary removal of material. Apart,however, from the character of the material employed, the use of thesingle large intermediate effects an increase in the minimumcross-section of the teeth, since the larger diameter of theintermediate enables the sides of the pinion-teeth to be more nearlystraight.

In the improved machine the take-up, needle-bar, and feed device areoperated from the main shaft. It may be through any appropriatemechanism arranged to operate them in due sequence with reference to themultiple revolving rotary hook and to one another when the main shaft isturned in the same direction as the rotary hook; but it is speciallyintended to employ a take-up fastened to and revolving with the mainshaft at a uniform speed, a needle-bar operated from a crank on the mainshaft through a pitman, and a feed-bar operated from an eccentric oreccentrics on the main shaft through appropriate vertical and horizontalconnections at the standard of the goose-neck and under the work-plate,respectively. This form of takeup is described in our aforesaid patentsin connection with the rotary hook having a double or triple revolution.Its use tends to the establishment of uniform rotary motions throughoutthe machine, and the multiple rotation of the rotary hook is of specialadvantage in connection therewith, since it carries the loop around thebobbin in due season to allow the said loop to be drawn up before thenext loop is taken. If the rotary-hook shaft is revolved in the samedirection as in said patents, the take-up is adapted to the new (orreversed) direction of revolution of the main shaft by altering theposition of the thread-guides and of the take-up pins. In case the lowerthread-guide is connected with the presser-foot and presser-bar, so asto be adjusted automatically thereby, and thus regulate the action ofthe take-up in correspondence with the thickness of the work under thepresser-foot, as described at length in our said patent of December 21,1986, the operating means are altered so as to adjust it in the oppositedirection. 'lo effect this in the most convenient way a bent orbell-crank lever is employed having a horizontal arm connected by asuitable joint or yielding connection with the presser-bar and avertical arm which carries the adjustable thread-guide at its lower end.The needle-bar operated by a crank on the main shaft through a pitman,as described in ouraforesaid patent,produecs the same result whicheverway the shaft is turned and no alteration of theparts is necessary. Afeed-bar operated from an eccentric or eccentrics on the main shaftthrough appropriate vertical and horizontal connections is described inour aforesaid patent of April 12, 1886, and also in our patent, No.354,590, dated December 21, 1886. The feed movement is adapted to thenew (or reversed) revolution of the main shaft by altering theconnections, or, if two eccentrics are employed, by shifting theirposition on the main shaft, or it may be partly in each of these ways.If the direction of revolution of the rotary hook should be changed,that of the main shaft re maining as in the said patents, it would onlybe necessary to adapt the rotary hook to revolve in the oppositedirection. This could be done by the use of known forms of rotary hook.Moreover, the single idler for imparting multiple rotation from the mainshaft in the goose-neck to the rotary-hook shaft under the work-platehas a great advantage over the two idlers in respect to the taking ofthe loops by the rotary hook from the needle, which latter, being drivenby a plain crank mechanism, is not delayed at the bottom of its stroke,as in shuttle machines using a heavy cam, but rises at once, and duringits rise presents the loop to the rapidly-ad vancing hook. In order thatthe hook may enter the loop with greater certainty, said hook should beso timed relatively to the needle that in one of its multiplerevolutions its point crosses the needlejust above the eye where thebend made by the thread leaving the eye and passing up to the work tendsto hold the thread out from the needle. \Vith a hook so timed a verysmall retardation of the hooks motion will bring the hooks point up tothe needle so late that instead of passing above the thread it willstrike and probably out the said thread. By the use of the single idlerin place of the two idlers the liability to this retardation is verymuch diminished, since the wear on the teeth of the driving-gears, whichmanifests itself at once in the retardation of the hook, is so much lesswith the single idler as very materially to improve the machine in thisre spect. Moreover, any deformation in the teeth of the gearingmanifests itself in retarding the motion of the rotary hook and tends tomake it cross the needle too late in the ascent of the needle to takethe loops. The ditference in the liability to deformation between theleather teeth on the large single idler and those on two smaller gearsis decided and important, particularly in view of the extreme accuracyin the turning of the rotary hook which we have found to be necessary tothe best working of the machine.

The invention extends, generally, to. the combination, with a main shaftturning in bearings of the goose-neck, a needle mechanism, a take-up inthe head of the machine, and a feed mechanism, a rotary-hook shaft underthe work-plate and a rotary hook mounted thereon, of a gear on said mainshaft at the standard of the goose-neck, a pinion on the saidrotary-hook shaft, and an intermediate or idler extending from the saidgear to the said pinion and meshing with both, the number of teeth onthe said gear being a multiple (particularly a multiple of three) ofthose on the said pinion, so that a multiple and particularly a triplerevolution is given the rotary hook, and said needle mechanism, take-up,and feed mechanism being adapted to co-operate with the multiplerevolving rotary hook (or vice versa) when the said main shaft and thesaid rotary hook revolve in the same direction; but it especially coverssuch combination when a rotary take-up fixed to the main shaft so as torevolve uniformly and in the same direction therewith, as described inour said patents, or otherwise, is employed with or without a needlemechanism comprising a crank and pitman, and with or without a feedmechanism comprising eccentrics (i. 6., one or more eccentrics) on themain shaft at the standard of the goose-neck, and vertical andhorizontal connections for conveying the movement therefrom to afeedsurface under the work-plate, as described in our said patents, orotherwise.

The invention further consists in the combination, with the mainshaftturning in bearings of the goose-neck, the needle-bar driventherefrom by a plain crank mechanism, and the gear on the said mainshaft at the standard of the goose-neck, of the multiple revolvingrotary hook and shaft, the pinion on said hook-shaft having a fractionof the number of the teeth on the said gear, and the single idlermeshing with both said gear and said pinion and irnpartin g a multiplerotation tothe latter from the former, the use of said single idler inplace of two idlers diminishing the liability of the hooks missing theloop or cutting the thread in consequence of the retardation due towear.

The invention specially covers these combinations when the singleintermediate is made with leather or other noise-deadening teeth, andthe gear on the main shaft and the pinion on the rotary-hook shaft areboth of metal.

The invention lastly covers as a special feature the combination, withthe rotary takeup, the thread-guides therefor, and the presser-foot andpresser-ba-r, of the bent lever or bell-crank having a horizontal armconnected with said presser-bar and a thread-guide at its lower end, soas to adjust the same when the presser-bar is raised or lowered.

The following is a description of what is considered the best mode ofapplying the principle of the invention, reference being had to theaccompanying d rawin s, which form part of this specification.

Figure I is a front view of a sewing-machine constructed in accordancewith the invention. Fig. II is a vertical section through the standardof the goose-neck. Fig. 111 is a detail view; and Fig. IV is an endelevation partly in section, looking at the head of the machine.

The main shaft 0 turns in bearings of the goose-neck or overhangingstationary arm B, and is driven by a belt on a fast pulley (or it may beby any suitable means) in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. II.The rotary-hook shaft D is supported in journalbearings under thework-plate A, and is driven from the gear 1 on the main shaft 0 throughthe intermediate toothed wheel or idler 2 and the pinion 3, fast on therotary-hook shaft D. The intermediate or idler 2 meshes with both thegear 1 and the pinion 3, and revolves with comparative slowness, owingto its large size. The number of teeth on the gear 1 is a multiple ofthose on the pinion 3, (three times, as shown,) so that a multiplerevolution (as compared with the main shaft) is conveyedto therotary-hook shaft. teeth of leather or other noise-deadening materialand the gear 1 and pinion 3 with metal teeth. The rotary hook K, withits bobbin, bobbin-case, and bobbin-holder, is the same as described inour said patent, No. 354,589.

The rotary take-up H is fastened to the outer end of a crank F, which isfixed on the end of the main shaft, as in our last-mentioned patent; butthe relative positions of the take-up pins h [t is reversed to conformto the new (or reversed) rotation of the main shaft 0. The upper-threadguide 7L8 also is altered in position, being placed behind instead of infront of the needle-bar F. The lower-thread guide h is made to beshifted or adjusted automatically with the thickness of work under thepresser-foot. It is carried by the lower end of the vertical arm of abent lever or bell-crank N, fulcrumed at 12 011 a stud, which is tappedinto the lever and turns in a boss 18 on the head of the machine.

The horizontal arm of the bell-crank N is connected with the presser-barG, so that when the latter occupies a higher position, in consequence ofan increase in the thickness of the work under the presser-foot, thethreadguide h" is adjusted toward the back of the machine, so that thetake-up pin b strikes the thrcadearlier in its revolution. An auX-'iliary take-up or thread-controller is shown in connection with therotary take-up H; but

The idler 2 is made with as it is substantially the same, and may bepreeiselythe same, as in our said patent, No. 354,589, it need not bedescribed. The needle-bar F is reeiprocated by the crank F on the mainshaft through a pitman and crosshead, as in our last-mentioned patent.

The feed-surfaeeis on the four-motion feedbar P below the work-plate A,and is operated from the eccentrics E E on the main shaft G at thestandard of the goose-neck through the Vertical connections consistingof the connecting-rods Q Q, and the horizontal connections comprisingthe rock-shafts R R, which are jonrnaled in bearin gs 34 and 35 underthe work-plate A.

The relative position of the feed-advancing eccentric E and feed-liftingeccentric E 011 the main shaft 0 is shown in Fig. III.

The means for giving an adj ustablc stroke to the feedbar P consist ofthree parts, namely: first, the lever If, fulcrumed at 18 on themachine-frame and provided with a vibratory arm 15; second, the link S,provided with a projection 16 in the path of the arm 15, and at its rearend jointed to the upper end of the arm 17 of the feed-advancingrock-shaft R, and, third, the hand-actuated regulator T, in the form ofa crank-disk, which is mounted on a stud 23, screwed into a projection21 of the machine-frame, and whose crank-pin 25 fits in the groove 26 inthe link S, so that by turning said regulator the crankpin raises orlowers the link S, and thus sets the projection 16 farther from ornearer to the axis of vibration of the arm 15, while at the same time itdoes not interfere with the reciprocation of said link. The adjustmentof said projection 16 of course regulates the movement communicatedthrough the link S to the rock-shaft R.

The lower end of the connecting-rod Q is jointed to an arm of the leverU, so that as the shaft C rotates and the eccentric E reciprocates theconnecting-rod Q, the latter imparts vibration to the lever U, whose arm15, acting against the projection 16, moves the link S andfeed-advancing rock-shaft R. The motion thus imparted to the rock-shaftR is in one direction only, since it is preferred to return said shaftby means of a spring V, which is set in a hollow boss 21 on the underside of thework-plate, and is interposed between the body of thework-plate and the horizontal arm 22 of the rock-shaft R, so as to presssaid arm downward.

The fecd bar P (see Fig. IV) is connected with the upright arm 30 of thefeed-advancing rock-shaft R through a journal-pin and with thehorizontal arm 31 of the feed-lifting rock-shaft R by the upright link32, and the feed-lifting rock-shaft is vibrated by the connecting-rod Q,whose upper end encircles the eccentric E, and whose lower end isconnected by a journal-pin with the arm (see Fig. II) of saidfeed-lifting rock-shaft R.

In operation the main shaft 0, the gears 1, 2, and 3, and therotary-hook shaft D are revolved in the direction of the arrows, Fig.II, the needle-bar F is reciprocated by the crank F, the rotary take-upII revolves in the same direction as the rotary hook, and the feedbar Pis lifted, advanced, lowered, and returned by the eccentrics E E. Thesewing operation is the same as our said patent, No. 354,589, only it iseffected with less friction and with reversed motion of the main shaft0, (or motion away from the operator,) the rotary take-up and feedmechanism being adapted to act in due season with this new (or reversed)revolution of the main shaft C.

The feed mechanism shown embodies certain improvements which form thesubject of another application for patent of even date herewith. Itisdescribed herein as an example of a suitable feed mechanism, and not asrestricting the invention thereto or to any particular form of saidmechanism. The mechanism with two feed-eccentrics shown in our patent,No. 354 500, before mentioned could be used instead, the eccentricsbeing properly placed on the main shaft.

e claim herein as our invention or discovery- 1. The combination, withthe main shaft turning in bearings of the goose-neck, the needlemechanism, the take-up in the head of the machine, and the feedmechanism, the rotary-hook shaft under the work-plate, and the rotaryhook mounted on said rotary-hook shaft, of the gear on said main shaftat the standard of the goose-neck, the pinion below it on therotary-hook shaft, and the intermediate toothed wheel or idler extendingfrom the said gear to the said pinion and meshing with both, the numberof teeth on the said gear beinga multiple of those on the said pinion,so that a multiple revolution is given to the said rotary hook throughthe comparatively large and slowly-revolving intermediate, and the saidneedle mechanism, takeup,-

and feed mechanism being operated in due relation to the said multiplerevolving rotary hook by the said main shaft revolving in the samedirection as said rotary hook, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the main shaft turning in bearings of thegoose-neck, the needle mechanism driven by said main shaft, the rotarytake-u p fixed to and revolving uniformly wit-h said main shaft in thesame direction as the feed mechanism driven from said main shaft, therotary-hook shaft under the work-plate, and the rotaryhook mounted onsaid rotary-hook shaft, of the gear on said main shaft at the standardof the goose-neck, the pinion below it on the rotary-hook shaft, and theintermediate toothed wheel or idler extending from the said gear to thesaid pinion and meshing with both, the number of teeth on the said gearbeing a multiple of those on the said pinion, so that a multiplerevolution is given to the rotary hook through a comparatively large andslowly-revolving intermediate, and the said needle mechanism,

rotary take-up, and feed mechanism being volving in the same directionas the said rotary hook, substantially as described.

3.:1he combination, With the main shaft turning in bearings of thegoose-neck, the needle mechanism, the take-up, and the feed mechanism,each operated by said main shaft, the rotary-hook shaft under thework-plate, and the rotary hook mounted on said rotaryhook shaft, of themetal gear on the said main shaft at the standard of the goose-neck, themetal pinion below it on the rotary-hook shaft, and the intermediateWheel or idler with leather or noise deadening teeth eX- tending fromthe said gear to the said pinion and meshing with both, the number ofteeth on the said gear being a multiple of those on the said pinion, sothat a multiple revolution is given to the said rotary hook through thecomparatively large and slowlyrevolving leather-toothed intermediate,and the said needle mechanism, take-up, and feed mechanism beingoperated in due relation to the said multiple revolving rotary hook bythe said main shaft revolving in the same direction as said rotary hook,substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the rotary takeup, and the presser-foot andpresser-bar, and the adjustable or shifting thread-guide for saidtake-up, of the bent lever or bell-crank havmg its horizontal armconnected with the presser-bar and its vertical arm carrying the saidthread-guide at the lower end thereof, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the main shaft mounted in bearings of thegoose-neck and turning away from the operator, the needle mechanismdriven by said main shaft, the rotary take-up fixed to and revolvinguniformly with said main shaft in the same direction thereas, the feedmechanism driven from said .main shaft, the rotary-hook shaft under thework-plate, and the rotary hook mounted on said rotary-hook shaft, ofthe gear on said main shaft at the standard of the goose-neck,

the pinion below it on the rotary-hook shaft, and the intermediatetoothed idler extending from the said gear to the said pinion andmeshing with both, the number of teeth on the said gear being a multipleof those on the said pinion, so that a multiple revolution is given tothe said rotary hook, the main shaft being provided with adriving-pulley and the take-up being provided with eccentric-pins foracting 011 the thread, a lower-thread guide near the needle-bar, and anupper thread guide behind the needle-bar, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the main shaft turning in bearings of thegoose-neck, the needle-bar driven from the said shaft by a plain crankmechanism, and the gear on said main shaft at the standard of thegoose-neck,

of the multiple revolving rotary hook and hook-shaft, the pinion on saidhook-shaft having a fraction of the number of teeth on the said gear,and the single idler meshing with both said gear and said pinion andimparting the multiple rotation to the latter from the former,substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the main shaft turning in bearings of thegoose-neck, the needle-bar driven from said shaft by a plain crankmechanism, and the metal gear on said main shaft at the standard of thegoose-neck, of the multiple revolving rotary hook and hook-shaft, themetal pinion on said hookshaft having a fraction of the number of theteeth on said gear, and the single idler meshing With both said gear andsaid pinion and imparting the multiple rotation to the latter from theformer, substantially as described. In testimony whereof we have signedthis specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Ol-IAS. H. WILLCOX. JAS. E. A. GIBBS. \Vitnesses to signature of Chas.I-l. \Villcox:

PHILIP .MAURO, O. J. HEDRIOK. Witnesses to signature of Jas. E. A.Gibbs- C. P. BOWMAN, E. ALEXANDER.

